Happy Earth Day 2011!

Happy Earth Day, fellow Earthlings!!! We hope you all are taking a special moment today to honor and appreciate our special planet in whatever small or big way you can!

Here at Boingo, we’re very passionate and serious about preserving, healing and respecting the Earth. Our in-office green efforts are guided by the Boingo Green Committee, which meets monthly to monitor the company’s progress on increasing efficiency in a variety of areas. We score our efforts using the Consumer Electronics Association’s (CEA) green assessment guide, and we’re always implementing new methods to improve. We’re proud of our employees for faithfully participating in the various everyday green initiatives at the office. Click here to read more about the green program at Boingo.

While Earth Day is a great opportunity to formally celebrate our precious planet, we strive to practice green living each and every day. But there is so much more to be done, which is why we continue to research and learn more about new habits, initiatives and technologies that drive sustainability. Our hope is that more people and organizations across the globe will join us.

How do you practice greener living on a daily basis? Here’s how ten members from the Boingo Green Committee make the world a greener place:

Grow an organic garden: “I reduce carbon emissions by growing edible plants in my garden: tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. The vegetables are fresh and delicious, and it saves me a trip to the grocery store.” Scott Ewalt, customer acquisition and retention marketing manager

Use composted products: “It’s spring cleanup/fix up time and I am taking advantage of the great composted products that my community processes and sells including mulch, topsoil and woodchips. Some of my neighbors have followed my lead and are also using these products in their landscape.” Penny Wernsing, program administrator

Take public transportation: “I take advantage of Boingo’s alternative transportation program by riding the bus to work each day. Avoiding the stress of crazy LA traffic keeps me calm. Reading my iPad and listening to music during the trip keeps me informed and entertained. Receiving the parking lot fee refund each month keeps me saving for the future. Knowing I’m helping to reduce air pollution keeps me and my home planet happy. Plus, I get to enjoy a few extra minutes outside each day! I love it.” Julie Gamble, marketing communications manager

Save paper, use mobile boarding passes: “As a frequent traveler, I used to print *many* boarding passes. Now, I save a few trees when I fly United Airlines by using mobile boarding passes. In fact, I was thrilled to discover that United Airlines is encouraging passengers to go mobile in their official Earth Day promotion. Looking forward to the day when all airlines embrace this earth-friendly option!” Lauren Sanyal, marketing associate & customer care liaison

Recycle as much as possible: “Our neighborhood community strongly supports a curbside recycle program for plastic, paper, and glass which occurs alongside garbage pickup. Since our arrival here 4 years ago, we committed to being diligent about utilizing the program and doing our part. It does take some effort to separate and manage this for the household. The results however, are obvious and cannot be understated. The actual amount of waste we put to the curb in our garbage has easily been reduced by 75%. This — in addition to the appropriate handling of yard waste, batteries and the proper recycling of old electronic stuff — has made us feel better about the part we play protecting the environment from unnecessary and avoidable harm.” Eric Isherwood, director of airport marketing

Make recycling easy: “It’s true that it’s not always convenient to recycle, especially if the proper bins aren’t around where you can just easily toss that aluminum can. So I’m all about making it obviously easy to recycle — we have a smattering of bins for various recyclables all around my house.” Mike Ihde, vp of human resources and organizational development

Drive a hybrid car, educate the kids: “I drive a hybrid car, so not only do I reduce emissions and my carbon footprint, but I also save at the pump! (Not to mention the little perk of getting to drive in the HOV lane here in SoCal.) I have also taught my daughters the importance of conservation around the house: turning off unnecessary lights, turning the water off while brushing your teeth and putting recyclables in the proper bins. Not only am I doing my part now, but my children will continue these efforts for decades to come.” Joseph Destasio, business development manager

Use non-electrical hardware appliances: “I replaced my lawn edger with one of those old manual edger wheels on the end of a stick – this way I can save the gas $ and emissions and get some exercise at the same time.” Scott Swope, NOC analyst

Be a minimalist: “We each know what we misuse and overuse in our lives. For me, being “green” means use less of everything if possible. If I could breathe less I would, but in a practical sense this translates to some of the following in my life: I use less tissue paper, I use fewer devices whenever possible, I don’t leave my devices on the charger every night, I print less, I try to drive less, I use cloth shopping bags, and I say no to plastic and styrofoam.” Harma Davtian, web engineer

Buy eco-friendly shoes: “In addition to everyday efforts like recycling and energy conservation, I buy eco-friendly shoes. Yes, that may sound silly, but did you know that it takes 1000 years for typical shoe soles to decompose? That’s why I buy shoes made with ecological materials such as bamboo, cork and hemp. And I don’t have to sacrifice comfort or style because brands such as Naya, Earth and Jambu make comfortable shoes in very cute designs! Baochi Nguyen, social media manager